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pharman

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Attended OGCA (Ohio Gun Collectors Association) show yesterday...very disappointing...not many S&W's...LOTS of empty tables...not sure if it was because of Omicron or table price ($95) increase...attendance appeared to be way down which I guess was good for those of us walking around...only bought 2 boxes of Speer Lawman 45ACP ammo...guns were way overpriced in my opinion...hopefully will be better in March...Roger


On a positive note I did get to see many friends there that I have not seen in awhile...
 
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Sorry to hear that. If I didn't live so far away I would attend every one although it's not tha same for me since my friend DanT stopped attending. The OGCA meetings are some of my favorite shows; I always find something I can't do without. Even if it is a little doodad of some sort.
 
Sad to hear that. I'm planning to attend either The Big One in March or Display Show in April. It's a long way to go for me but I have family and lots of friends in Dayton so it will still be worth it.

OGCA # 46661
 
I agree

sceva said:
Sorry to hear that. If I didn't live so far away I would attend every one although it's not tha same for me since my friend DanT stopped attending. The OGCA meetings are some of my favorite shows; I always find something I can't do without. Even if it is a little doodad of some sort.
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Hey sceva...I agree with you about DanT...He's a good friend of mine and I miss seeing him there also...Roger
 
....missing OGCA

......hey I'm still around guys, just do NOT Like the long drive, Tulsa killed my enjoyment of driving, after 6 trips out there and never missing an OGCA meeting from Columbus until 3 years ago (about 45 years)....I do miss ALL the members, table holders who set up and especially display come May or the Ruger ROCS show in July....have made a couple of quick 'pit stops' there to deliver the goods,,, haha just not going to set up, cost way too much for retirement, fixed income, almost as bad as Tulsa....YIKES !!
but still get to see you guys locally, close to home, and maybe see you this weekend at Medina???
SO best to you in this New Year.......;)
 
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I moved away from Ohio in the mid-1970s and haven't been to an OGCA show since. I missed very few of the Columbus shows held at Vets Memorial (I think the city ran them out of town sometime after I left) during the approximate 10 years prior to my leaving the state. They were really something back then, it took two days to see everything.
 
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We have lots of threads that start with “HEY, look what I got!!!” and everyone loves those, especially with pictures. But most of the threads that are about gun shows head down the same path. Reports of how bad the selection was, how overpriced everything was, how the food is rotten and the follow up replies are usually similar or a dozen folks talking about how they have given up on gun shows completely.

Well… shows are definitely different depending on where it is, how established it is, -WHO- is running the show and other factors. I have no doubt whatsoever that the OGCA show is the uncontested, undisputed best gun show in Ohio and it’s at far higher level than the average low brow beanie-baby infested Hi-Point and Jimenez swapping affair.

I agree with the OP that this particular show had many empty tables, probably as many as I’ve seen in a decade at an OGCA show.

However
not many S&W's
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Absolutely wrong, on any scale. It was loaded with S&W and Colt and tons of other stuff also.

I bought THREE guns from this show on Saturday. I had a helluva great day. And it was almost four guns as there was a high condition CZ-75B SA with a very nice price, it took all of my restraint to not buy that. Of course, I was bogged down with all my other guns, that probably helped.

I guess there was one less S&W at one point, since I bought it. And chatted with another guy who bought his first ever S&W Model 52-2.

I guess I’m saying this. Most “gun show” threads would have the average reader thinking “wow, all gun shows are a train wreck.”

If you go to gun shows and you have awful experiences, I understand. But if you only read threads about how bad gun shows are, I think you might be better off to go and find your own experience.
 
Maybe the OP should have posted "...not many S&Ws at prices I was prepared to pay..." :D

That's how it has been for me looking at milsurps lately.
 
I am a table holder and yes, it's true that there were a lot of empty tables. Especially on sunday. One of the directors said several table holders left saturday after telling them they weren't feeling well.... Were they or did they just want to bail? I don't know but with the still present china bug paranoia who can say. There were a number of empty spaces beforehand, those may be a mix of people taking a break from the show or unhappiness over the table price increase. A lot of us are unhappy with the increase that's a fact.

As to what was at the show it was still a good show as far as I could see. I did well, sold a fair amount of collector (and shooter) ammo and a couple guns. Did a couple trades as well. Only bought one gun outright, a nice early S&W in 32 WCF caliber. Seems to be factory nickle, all features look correct and the markings are sharp and clear and all numbers match. No markings under the grips at all except a number 56 next to the grip pin. A few minor spots in the finish and non factory grips (Franzites) are the only downsides but the price was right and I'm happy with it.

I looked at quite a few other guns, the table holders that were there had some nice interesting stuff out. My biggest complaint was the size of the crowd attending..... seemed like very few people coming in, saturday looked like a sunday morning crowd. Sunday was worse very few attendees. At least some of them were buying (or trading!) so I still had fun and had a decent show.
 
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Totally agree with this point...

Sevens said:
.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the OGCA show is the uncontested, undisputed best gun show in Ohio


I TOTALLY AGREE with you that OGCA is the BEST show in Ohio and I WILL continue to attend...my comments were directed to this particular show NOT OGCA in general...
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OGC

I haven't had membership in years used to go to Columbus all the time last show I went to was at the Cleveland IX center.
Would like to get a membership again can anyone tell me who to contact.
Thanks
Lee
 
...OGCA......

hey in NO way were we 'flaming' the OGCA show, it is still one of the BEST in the country....you see things there you see in museums , but in NO way is it even CLOSE to what it once was, I for one have sold MORE S&Ws and boxes of all kinds, that most of you will see in a lifetime...and yes , the city of Columbus did run us out of there. I believe it was a"new" council person with the name of Kennedy....heres what it looked like after they tore down the "Vets Memorial auditorium".......:(

xcytt97l.jpg



still a Life Member........
 
sceva said:
Sorry to hear that. If I didn't live so far away I would attend every one although it's not tha same for me since my friend DanT stopped attending. The OGCA meetings are some of my favorite shows
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Same here for me. I used to go to a lot of the shows with my dad and brother when I was growing up. But things are looking up. I sponsored for membership my cousin-in-law who lives in southern Ohio so I may be making more trips to see the shows and visit with family.
 
The old Vets Memorial auditorium in Columbus hosted the main OGCA show for many years. It was very close to downtown, and fairly close to the Ohio Penitentiary on Neil Avenue. I remember seeing prison guards in uniform at the show several times, very drab and ugly uniforms. The main max security Ohio Pen in Columbus was re-located to Lucasville located in southern Ohio, about 80 miles south of Columbus, back in the early 1970s, and the old prison was demolished. I don't know what's at the former Columbus prison location today.
 
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OGCA.

The OHCA shows were my all-time favorites. I attended the first one at the Vet’s Memorial building, on West Broad St. in Columbus, Ohio.

At 90+ years OLD, I have to change the lyrics of the old-time jazz song; ‘I don’t get around much anymore’, and remove one word, ‘much’, to make it fit my situation.

An old proverb states, ‘Nothing can take your memories’, but it’s incorrect, as old age can, but in my case just hasn’t yet. In any case, I sure miss those great shows, and will just make do, with your reports.

Chubbo
 
One memory I have of going to the shows at the Vet Center with my late father is when I was still a poverty stricken upperclassman college student. An exhibitor practically shoved into my hand a beautifully engraved Smith & Wesson revolver to look at. Pop saw me handling the revolver and said to the effect, "Holy smoke, you are old enough to buy that now!"
 
Belonged to the OGCA but dropped out when they went south. Have a son in Beavercreek but when we visit him it’s family time, not gun show time.

Went to a wake yesterday for Sherm Kirkland, I believe he was the current president. Knew him and his Dad for years, both great people and will be missed. Larry
 
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